Brewers Pick Up Claudio Vargas from the Dodgers
July 31, 2009Brewers Pick Up Claudio Vargas from the Dodgers
In return for catcher Vinny Rottino.
Interesting move, considering the Brewers dropped him after a poor season in 2007. I'd be willing to bet that they'll name him the starter for one of the next two games in San Diego.
Drink Up, Youngblood
July 31, 2009
In the latest Out of Right Field, Jared and Bryan tried to reprise the gold they struck but a fortnight earlier. However, they struck some type of futuristic alloy, which - if you really think about it - is pretty badass too.
Within it, the pair addresses such pressing issues as:
• All-inclusive taco dip
• The Foo Fighters
• Ruben Quevedo
• A “Craigy McCounsell”-type work of art
• Throwing back home runs
Read that thing HERE.
Other reading/viewing assignments:
- Miller Park Drunk’s guide to hangovers. My movies of choice are Revenge of the Nerds, Baseketball and Wet Hot American Summer.
- An interview with Chelcie Ross, who played Eddie Harris (the junkballing Christian) in Major League. He has a funny story about meeting Bob Uecker.
- Chan Ho Park eating various soups.
- Brew Crew Ball talks J.J. Hardy’s skills. Not included was his skill to inspire a bobblehead I could sell for $15 yesterday.
- I’ve littered Bugs & Cranks with trade deadlne-influenced content. Other July 31 deadlines and a fluff feature about MLB’s official Guy-in-New-Hat-Photoshopper.
- And if you have time, round out your assigned reading with Franz Kafka’s “The Sirens”, the most eerily beautiful prose ever constructed by man.
These are the seductive voices of the night; The Sirens, too, sang that way. It would be doing them an injustice to think that they wanted to seduce; they know they had claws and sterile wombs, and they lamented this aloud.
They could not help it if their laments sounded so beautiful.
[crying like newborn] Have a good weekend [sniffles] and check back for more stuff this weekend.
Burns recalled
July 31, 2009Burns recalled
I guess Chris Cody won't get the start tomorrow after all. Via Tom H.:
I just got a message from Brewers media relations director Mike Vassallo that the Brewers have recalled right-hander Mike Burns from Class AAA Nashville.
Later in the post:
If he starts Saturday, the Brewers will have fill-ins on two consecutive days, with Carlos Villanueva slated to pitch Sunday. That 1-2 combo could do some nasty things to the bullpen.
Melvin traveling to San Diego with team
July 31, 2009Melvin traveling to San Diego with team
A Tweet from Jeff Fletcher of AOL:
#Brewers GM Doug Melvin traveled to SD today rather than staying in his office. Guessing the Brewers are comin up empty.
Now that I've mentioned it, the Brewers will probably announce a move, but the logic makes sense: Melvin wouldn't want to be traveling if he was close to a deal this close to the deadline.
Milwaukee Brewers (51-51) At San Diego Padres (41-62), 10:05 P.m.
July 31, 2009Friday’s Frosty Mug
July 31, 2009Some things to read while I spend all day playing Bookworm.
Dreams really do come true, at least for The Bucky Channell, as the Brewers will open play today without both Bill Hall and Jeff Suppan on the active roster. Hall was optioned to AAA to get some consistent at bats to work on his swing, and Sheffield's House is reporting he was later traded to the Toppers' Pizza Softball Team. Hernan Iribarren will be called up before tonight's game to take Hall's place on the roster.
Suppan, meanwhile, is on the DL with a strained oblique. The Brewers haven't made a corresponding move to fill his roster spot, but Doug Melvin says he doesn't expect to fill it via trade. Chase Wright, who could have been a candidate to make a spot start on Saturday, started for Nashville last night, so he's likely out of the equation. Unless I'm mistaken, Chris Cody is scheduled to pitch for the Sounds tonight, and could also be a candidate.
The downfall of Jeff Suppan and Bill Hall, combined with the lost season of Chris Capuano and the disappointing year by J.J. Hardy have led View From Bernie's Chalet to wonder if the four Brewers made a mistake by appearing on "The Young and the Restless" in 2007.
Meanwhile, the Brewers are left clinging to a .500 record, heading off on the dreaded west coast road trip. You may want to try to catch an afternoon nap today, if you can: The Brewers play at 9:05 five of the next six days.
Once every few days, especially when Mike Cameron isn't hitting well, someone in the game thread asks how Tony Gwynn Jr. is doing in San Diego. Before you ask, here you go: Gwynn got off to a hot start for the Padres, but Quevedo at the Buffet reports that he's hitting just .240/.291/.312 with 21 strikeouts and one stolen base since June 21.
Around the minors:
- The Brewers appear to have reached a deal to lure 2009 draft pick D'Vontrey Richardson away from playing football at Florida State. Richardson was a fifth round pick, believed to be seeking a bonus well above slot money.
- The Timber Rattlers are struggling a bit lately, but Brett Christopherson of the Appleton Post-Crescent thinks the Brewers could help the team by promoting two prospects from Helena: BCB #9 prospect Jake Odorizzi and 2009 third round pick Josh Prince.
Around the league:
Astros: Released Russ Ortiz.
Braves: Released reliever Jeff Bennett.
Cubs: Acquired John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny from the Pirates for pitchers Kevin Hart, Jose Ascanio and a minor leaguer.
Dodgers: Acquired George Sherrill from the Orioles for two prospects.
Mets: Designated Elmer Dessens for assignment.
Rays: Claimed catcher Jose Lobaton off waivers from the Padres.
Royals: Acquired outfielder Josh Anderson from the Tigers for cash.
Russ Ortiz and Kevin Hart were the starting pitchers in yesterday's Cubs-Astros game, and as 6-4-2 notes, neither were on their respective teams' active roster by the end of the day.
It's the busiest day of the year for trade rumor peddlers and the like, and for one man, business is booming: Tyler Maas of Bugs & Cranks profiles Elliott James, the guy who photoshops the caps of their new teams onto traded players.
At Inside the Majors, former Blue Jays assistant GM Bart Given answers more reader questions about life in a front office. Today, we have questions on cash payments made as part of trades, using players on the DL as part of trades, and using text messages and email to negotiate deals.
Remember umpire Bill Hohn (and his mustache), and the issues the Brewers had with him a couple of weeks ago? He's back in the news today for fist-bumping Marlins catcher John Baker following Wednesday's game, where he ejected both Bobby Cox and Brian McCann. Can we just replace these guys with machines and get it over with?
This isn't one of the brightest days for "This Day in Brewer History:" On this day in 1990, the Brewers were the losing team as Nolan Ryan won his 300th game. And on this day in 1996, the Brewers traded Greg Vaughn to the Padres for Bryce Florie, Marc Newfield and Ron Villone. Vaughn went on to hit 50 home runs for the Padres in 1998. Newfield played two below average seasons as a Brewer and was done in the majors at 25. Villone pitched in 50 games for the Brewers in 1997, and Florie appeared in 32.
Oh, and take a moment today to consider the plight of unnamed sources.
Drink up.
Milwaukee Tries To Brew Three-Game Win Streak In Test With Padres
July 31, 2009The Milwaukee Brewers will try to win three straight games for the first time in more than a month tonight, when they begin a three-game series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
Hoffman prepares for return to San Diego
July 30, 2009Trevor Hoffman calls his return to San Diego "just another road trip." Yeah, and he's just another soft-tossing reliever.
Crew hopes to change history on key trip
July 30, 2009If the Brewers are to have any success during their crucial nine-game road trip, they'll have to buck recent history. They haven't had much success in the parks they'll be visiting.
Suppan sent to DL with rib-cage injury
July 30, 2009The Brewers placed Jeff Suppan on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a rib-cage injury, meaning Suppan will not be able to make his start in San Diego on Saturday.